3 ways the KC Royals could fumble 2023 MLB trade deadline

The KC Royals are clear sellers at the impending MLB trade deadline. Being buyers would be the most puzzling Royals move this century, and they have some real headscratchers.

The KC Royals need to avoid these mistakes ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

They do have some assets that contenders could chase, though. The Texas Rangers already acquired Aroldis Chapman, and he is dealing for the AL West-leading Rangers. The Royals' big return in that trade, namely pitcher Cole Ragans, already made his Royals debut and impressed in his first start. Fans have to be feeling better about that trade return following a middling reaction to the Royals first notable trade of the season.

Other players, like pitcher Scott Barlow, infielder Matt Duffy, and even outfielder Edward Olivares, could attract interest ahead of the August 1 deadline. But those are really the remaining obvious crop of players that do not factor into the Royals' future plans and have a semblance of trade value. Now, the team's plans could change on a dime or with an overwhelming offer for a younger player, but none of the deadline's top assets reside in Kansas City.

The lack of big targets on the Royals roster is both a good and bad thing. It is good because the expectations are fairly low ahead of the deadline. The Royals netting a franchise-defining return for any one player is highly unlikely this summer. But that means that any trade they make has to be done deftly. It leaves little room for error across the spectrum of trades. There are plenty of ways the Royals could mess up the trade deadline, but here are my three most important things to avoid in the trade season.

Not be active sellers.

I cannot stress this enough. From my perspective, not many teams will have J.J. Picollo's phone going crazy over guys like Olivares and Nicky Lopez. They have value, sure, but the Royals need to let teams know that they can not only move such players but that they want to do so. Need to do so even.

The Royals can provide contenders with some budget options, players with minimal contracts, or ones that do not require a hefty return. By my assessment, there are eight teams remaining in the AL Wild Card Race alone, or no more than six games back as of July 18. Any one of those teams may not want to go all-in ahead of the postseason, especially with so many horses in the race. A general manager who needs to at least look like he is trying or a shocking injury could press the issue more. The Royals could have a player that provides at least a temporary fix or insurance policy for both situations.

I am sure that general managers around MLB have plenty of players on their watchlist. After all, some teams have dedicated pro scouting departments to identify future free agents or trade targets. But, from a fan perspective, most Royals players are not at the top of any such list. Like a Memorial Day sale, Kansas City needs to make it known they are selling and willing to do business with nearly anybody.

"It really comes down to any club that has interest in our players," Picollo said. "How well do they match up? Do they have what we are looking for? You are clearly trying to get the best return that you can."

The Royals' front office is making it known, especially in the pitching corps, that they are not pigeonholing prospects anymore. The previous regime's extent of that affected what players they would even consider drafting or trading for before considering their performance at all. Picollo and crew sound more flexible and open to different options because you can always teach skill, but you can't teach talent.

Blocking the current crop of outfielders.

Dairon Blanco cracking the 26-man roster was a pleasant surprise for the 2023 Royals. He only lasted five games with the 2022 squad after joining the team for the infamous Toronto series. He became a favorite in Omaha, stealing 47 bases in 49 games while posting a 135 wRC+. Both are significantly in elite territory, but the 30-year-old is not doing much at the MLB level this season. A 55 wRC+ and .333 SLG denote a player well below MLB's offensive standards, and Blanco could be heading back to Triple-A once Olivares returns. Just because Blanco hasn't made a successful transition doesn't mean there aren't other outfielders waiting in Omaha.

Players like Robbie Glendenning, who Kansas City traded to Baltimore on May 18, and veteran Jorge Bonifacio started the season in Double-A simply because of the number of fringe MLB outfielders in Omaha. All five of the current Omaha outfielders have different cases for the MLB roster.

Nate Eaton has the speed and arm, but the bat needs work. Tucker Bradley went undrafted due to the pandemic-shortened 2020 MLB Draft, but he has skyrocketed through the Royals system. John Rave can bring the party and his .957 OPS to Kansas City at any time. Tyler Gentry is the team's sixth-best prospect, and the 24-year-old leads Omaha with 51 RBIs. Brewer Hicklen has a great start to July with a chance to explode at the plate. All five are worth taking a look at this evaluation season.

Lopez getting looks in left field is cool and all, maybe boosting his trade value. But Royals fans want to see what the young guys have in the outfield too. Eaton had his chance; Blanco's is on the precipice of ending; why not look to Hicklen or Gentry in the 2023 season's second half? The Royals acquisition of another outfielder at a similar level seems redundant. There are other positions that could use some reinforcements, and the outfield does not need the help.